Today was pickup day for my Model Y! Everyone says that Tesla paint is soft and PPF and/or ceramic coating is needed. Is it a possibility to just have it painted with better paint? Would it still need a coating? Is that cost-prohibitive? Why isn't there demand for better paint from Tesla? Any thoughts?
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Does anyone ever just get it painted with better paint?
- Thread starter LenoraJ
- Start date
I had it wrapped instead. Less expensive than a proper paint job (when they pull off all the panels to paint) and it protects the paint underneath. It's been 5 years since I had it wrapped, and no regrets. Good idea to get a ceramic coat on top of the wrap if you go this route.
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Somday I will find out how much it costs to have the from lip, or dam rather and part of the hood re-painted stock white.. My wife would not budge on saying NO to paint protection film in the front. That was two years ago. In two years, I will really need a paint job (front) Quae parendum.
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I recall a post about PPF where it was stated that repainting actually cost less... so some owners reasoned that it made more sense to not PPF and just get a whole new paint job down the road (if needed).
I subscribe to the "it's just a car, I don't need to spend another $5k to plastic wrap the paint" mentality.
I subscribe to the "it's just a car, I don't need to spend another $5k to plastic wrap the paint" mentality.
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xanderwalker
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Tesla paint quality issues are exaggerated vs rest of contemporary competitors.
PPF on the front bumper cover can cost as much as repainting a new bumper cover.
Repainting a whole car is cost prohibitive ($10K+ to do it right) and would negatively impact resale value. There is no way to repaint a whole car as well as it was painted in the factory (when it was just a bare unpainted body in the first stages of production).
PPF on the front bumper cover can cost as much as repainting a new bumper cover.
Repainting a whole car is cost prohibitive ($10K+ to do it right) and would negatively impact resale value. There is no way to repaint a whole car as well as it was painted in the factory (when it was just a bare unpainted body in the first stages of production).
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PS. Cost me $5k with the ceramic after-coat.
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There was absolutely a point in time with Tesla was using a thinner coating than most other manufactures.
The big issue is that Tesla doesn’t use an organic chemical-based solvent paint, we end up paying for the fact that it chips easier and has other issues.
Don’t get me wrong, I completely understand why you would use a water-based paint if you could. The advantages are massive in a factory setting.
However, similar to the hone market, where oil based paint pretty much disappeared due to the regulatory requirements in the late 1990s and 2000s…. We now get paint that is not necessarily superior for the applications we use it.
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Sure go get some quotes to have it painted and let us know how it goes.
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My 53 years of auto experience makes me consider that Tesla paint is initially more fragile from the factory, primarily because it hasn't been baking/curing outdoors for more than a few days. Legacy vehicles sit for a LONG time before getting to the purchaser.
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Ive never heard of suspension soup. What does that taste like?If you worry the paint is soft...then you can’t just paint over it...you have to strip the old paint completely. You might as well soup up the suspension while the body is off
Also they don't remove the body to paint a car. Maybe a hood or a trunk at most but everything stays on the car.
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I never get those that spend $5K to fully PPF wrap a daily car. In 5 years, your car is probably worth $20+K in trade in value. And the only thing it really helps is rock chips. Do people think the PPF is some kind of magic item? Your film will still get scratched up and lose the new car shine if you don't maintain the surface. The upside is you can remove and replace every few years. I only see it being reasonable on a Lambo/Ferrari. I just paint correct every few years and apply ceramic coating myself. My 7 year old car still shines like new. Why not save the money and put it towards the budget of your next car. The money must have been fallen off the tree for these people.
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If you are a DIY kind of person, then paint correction and ceramic coating is a reasonable approach however, that can get in the $1,000.00 range each time. I did PPF on our MX in 2018 and there are no scratches. If I seen any I usually will park it outside and with this Texas sun, they will fade right away. I'm sure there are times where I may not have washed or detailed in the correct manner but to date, 0 scratches. I've also had the front redone and one of the FWD due to some nicks. That was taken care of by the installer so you get what you pay for. On one of the FWD sides, there was a cart hit that actually left an impression where our installer was able to get the minor dent repaired and re did the piece of PPF. Yes it's a hard pill to swallow but, I will be doing it again on a 2023 MX.
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You can afford an almost $100K MX, I am sure $5K for PPF is nothing. The craziest I have seen is a dude spent $5K wrapping a $30K Chevy bolt. The reason he gave was, it will get more trade in value later with better paint. I seriously doubt that. Now I am not against the idea of PPF, is it more down to when should you PPF. It is a high cost premium item. For me, I would not PPF unless the car is 6 digit and above.
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After 5 years with full frontal PPF I’m sold on it. Hood, front fenders, front bumper, mirrors, headlights and fog lights. If I was doing it again the only ‘must do’ imo is the front bumper, headlights and fog lights. That’s pretty affordable on any priced car.
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